JVC Everio GZ-MS130 – lacks optical image stabilization

Thumbs Up:

Small and comfortable design; manual controls; decent video quality in its class

Thumbs Down:

No optical image stabilization; thin grip strap; one-touch YouTube upload works through bundled software; no inputs

The Whiz Kid Speaks:

The JVC Everio GZ-MS130 is a 3.05-megapixel camcorder with 1/6” CCD optical sensor. It has 16GB internal memory and its SD/SDHC slot accepts up to 32GB cards. It features Electronic image stabilization, widescreen video capture, digital photo shooting mode, 24-bit PCM digital sound, and 800x digital zoom.

The shooting programs are Twilight mode, Portrait mode, Sports mode, Night mode, Spotlight, and Snow. The exposure modes are Automatic and Program. The digital video format is MPEG2, analog is NTSC and still image format is JPEG. The image storage resolution options are JPEG 640×360, JPEG 832×624, and JPEG 640×480.

The 2.7 inches rotating display has a format of 123,000 pixels. The inbuilt stereo microphone features wind noise reduction. The zoom lens has 2.2-77mm focal length with F/1.8-4 aperture that features 35x optical zoom. The camcorder has inbuilt lens shield, and TTL contrast detection auto-focus. The zoom adjustment is motorized drive and filter size is 30.5mm.

The additional features are inbuilt light, Low Lux/Night mode, Dolby Digital AC-3 (2 channel) recording, Automatic display brightness adjustment, YouTube capture mode, and Auto power save. The connector set includes 1×DC power input, 1×composite video/audio output, and 1×USB.

Accessories supplied inside the box are drivers & utilities disc, an A/V cable, a USB cable, power adapter, user manual, and power adapter. The minimum operating temperature is 32°F and maximum is 104°F.

Razzle Dazzle:

The JVC Everio GZ-MS130 is 2.6 inches tall, 2.2 inches wide and 4.4 inches deep and weighs 8.6 ounces. Its body is made up of plastic and comes in two colors: blue and black. The battery takes most of the space at the back side.

Inside Dope:

To manage the cost for beating cheaper pocket-sized HD 720p video camera, the standard-def mini-camcorders compromised on optical zoom and storage. $329.95 priced the JVC Everio GZ-MS130 features remote control, 16GB internal storage, SDHC/SD slot to accept 32GB cards, and 35x optical zoom; while the MS120 provides dual SDHC/SD slots without any internal memory for $50 less. The MS130 will also attract those who need a flip-style mini-camcorder especially for sharing their video at online Web sites. It has small and comfortable design as well as provides one-touch YouTube upload through its bundled software. However, it lacks optical image stabilization and its grip strap is thin.

You will find a start/stop recording button on the back at battery’s right side. The snapshot button and the zoom rocker are located on its top. We like that you can take still picture even while recording video. The tiny switch on the left side gives access to snapshot features. The JVC Everio GZ-MS130 can capture 640×480 pixels still photographs that are only good for small prints and Web usage.

The power and a play/record buttons are located on the left side of above tiny switch. You can also set the JVC Everio GZ-MS130 to turn on/off while opening/closing the display. The Upload, Direct DVD and Export buttons are located behind the LCD display that works with the provided software. It means that you have to install the bundled software and then you can use the Upload button to share the videos on the YouTube. On the bright side, you can press the Upload button before recording and then the camcorder automatically limit movie to 10 minutes as per YouTube requirements. The SD/SDHC slot is located on the top left side. The strap works as both grip belt and wrist strap, but it is very thin and low on body.

According to the JVC, they have modified the LaserTouch controls on the Everio GZ-MS130. They have added some new features including zoom bar on the left side of screen and Record button below the screen. These features make the MS130 camcorder more easy to use. We are disappointed that there is no accessory shoe for adding external light.

The JVC Everio GZ-MS130 has standard shooting options as expected from an entry-level device. It performs well in full-Auto mode, whereas you can press a touch-sensitive manual button to control the white balance, shutter speed, brightness and focus. The Classic Film effect skips the frame while recording to give an old movie look; while the Strobe provides the recording a look of consecutive snapshots. The other options are backlight compensation and some scene modes.

You can record MPEG2 video in the Ultra Fine mode at 8.5Mbps. This option will take 1GB storage space for a clip even less than 15 minutes. The JVC Everio GZ-MS130 also has three other modes including Eco at 1.5Mbps that takes 8GB storage for 20 hours recording.

If you want to shoot mostly outdoors in daylight and share them on Web, then the GZ-MS130 can provide satisfactory results. Its video quality is above average in low-light. As expected from a standard-def camcorder, there is average purple fringing while viewing the recorded video clips at full screen on a large TV. The colors are good and white balance remains acceptable in natural lighting.

The GZ-MS130 has standard lithium ion battery that has a life of 2 hours 45 minutes video recording.

Nitty Gritty:

If you need a simple and compact camcorder for Web-ready video clips, then the JVC Everio GZ-MS130 is a good choice to buy. It gives more flexibility than the HD camcorder. However, please do not expect the high-definition video quality from the MS130.

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